Paul Quarrington’s new venture: cinéaste

Here’s a slug this Quillblogger didn’t expect to see: “A short film by writer/director Paul Quarrington.”

But, according to Open Book Toronto, (and as reported by Quill & Quire Omni this past summer) the acclaimed author of the Governor General’s Award-winner Whale Music and this year’s Canada Reads champ King Leary has ventured behind the camera to shoot his first short feature, Pavane, based on his latest novel, The Ravine.

Open Book reports:

In Paul Quarrington’s short film, Pavane, Phil and Jay share more than a family bond — failed careers, failed relationships, bottomless drinks, and a debilitating memory of a shocking encounter in a ravine one childhood day.

The film will screen as part of the Book Shorts Moving Stories Film Festival, which will tour across the country beginning with a stop at the Winnipeg International Writers Festival on September 28, followed by stops in Ottawa and Vancouver in October, and Toronto in November. The festival also features work by W. Bruce Pirrie (adapting Douglas Coupland’s JPod), Bert Kish (adapting Andrew Davidson’s The Gargoyle), and Irene Duma (adapting Patrick Watson’s This Hour Has Seven Decades). The festival’s advisers include filmmakers Sarah Polley and Robert Lantos, writer Nino Ricci, and Random House Canada publisher Anne Collins.

Open Book has posted a trailer for the Quarrington film, and there are full profiles of the fimmakers and advisers at the Moving Stories site.

Event Photos: Launch for Barbara Gowdy’s Helpless

CanLit stars came out for the launch of Barbara Gowdy’s new novel Helpless.

Author John Irving, his wife Janet Turnbull-Irving and HarperCollins Canada publisher Iris Tupholme take in the evening’s events.

Books for sale.

Barbara Gowdy gets ready to start signing.

Authors Erika de Vasconcelos and Nino Ricci mingle in the crowd.

Read Q&Q‘s 2003 profile of Gowdy here.

The Griffin Poetry Prize

Photos from the cocktail party, ceremony and dancing at the Griffin Poetry Prize ceremony. (Photos by Tom Sandler.)

Canadian poet Erin Moure, nominated for Little Theatres, eschews the Fosbury flop on this high jump over the velvet rope.

Krystyne Griffin welcomes socialite Catherine Nugent and writer Barbara Amiel.

Nicholas Hoare Booksellers manager Ben McNally.

Griffin puts the squeeze on nominated poet Durs Grunbein, who is flanked by his translator, Michael Hoffmann.

Authors Nino Ricci and Erika de Vasconcelos.

Scott and Krystyne Griffin are joined by Scott’s parents.

Griffin listens as actor Albert Schultz explains the gold trim on his shirt.

Former head of state Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul.

Fine Print host and producer Carolyn Weaver and Thomas Allen Publishers publicist Lisa Zaritzky.

Barry Callaghan glances up from the program.